Tiny Miracles
by SpaceRoses
Summary: Miracles happen every day and the greatest one of all is the birth of a child but every person has different feelings about it. Take a look into the emotions of a father as he holds his first child in his arms.
1. Chapter 1: True Atonement

**Disclaimer: **Nothing belongs to me. Don't ask to borrow it.

**Author's Note: **I will be completing my other stories in time but right now the plot bunnies are pulling me in a different direction. This will be a collection of one-shots focusing on different male characters and their emotions as they hold their first child. I will be following all canon pairings and I might have some character/OC also. Read and Review if you like but Flames will be sent to Shishio. Thanks!

**True Atonement**

Himura Kenshin looked at the tiny bundle nestled in his arms. The baby was perfect, from his tufts of red hair to the beautiful blues eyes he had gotten from his mother.

Kenshin glanced towards his sleeping wife and smiled before looking back at their son.

"Himura Kenji." His whispered the name, as if trying to see how it would fit his child.

In response the infant raised a tiny fist and weakly grasped at Kenshin's bangs and a tiny smile formed on his mouth. Kenshin felt a smile growing on his own face, "When you get big enough Kenji you're going to be a student of the Kamiya Kasshin dojo that you are," his whisper died away as Kenji drifted into sleep.

Kenshin leaned against a wall support and held Kenji a little tighter to his chest, barely able to contain his joy.

Two years ago if someone would have told him he would be a father he would have just smiled and changed the subject, knowing his heart that he was to tainted to ever bring anything pure into the world but this little baby, his son, had proved him wrong.

It was a miracle and as Kenshin gently traced his son's face he swore that Kenji would grow up safely, not the way may of Kenshin's other friends or Kenshin himself had.

He would have a family, a mother who loved him and a father who was proud of him. And he would never have to kill people nor have his innocent hands stained in blood.

Maybe this was atonement in its purest form.

Kenshin had killed people, many people, in the name of peace. He had then lived his life to satisfy the spirits of those he had killed by protecting people in this new era of peace. And now because of the blood he had shed and the scars that would never leave his body or soul he could guarantee that his son would grow up in peace and never have to see the streets run with blood or feel the terror of war.

As Kenshin felt his own eyes droop with sleep he smiled, he might never forgive himself for all of the deaths he had caused, but if it meant that this one precious life would grow up in safety then his could bear his burdens much easer that he could.


	2. Chapter 2: Blind Trust

**Disclaimer: **Everything belongs to Watsuki-sama except for the baby. I invented him.

**Author's Note: **This next installment focuses on Aoshi and Misao. A major spoiler alert for the end of the Megumi arc and also the Kyoto arc. Read and Review if you want but I'll ignore Flames. Thanks!

**Blind Trust **

"Here Aoshi, why don't you hold him for a little while?"

Shinomori Aoshi looked uncertainly at the tiny baby in his wife's arms, "How do I Misao?" he asked, trying to mask the anxiety in his voice.

"Like this." Misao showed him how her arms were positioned and he mimicked her.

She nodded her head in satisfaction and carefully transferred the child into Aoshi's arms, "Here Han'nya, meet your Touchan."

Touchan. It sounded strange hearing himself referred to in such a way. Other men were called "Touchan"but not Shinomori Aoshi of the Oniwaban. He had been called "Okashira", he had been called "Sama" and he had been called a demon but he had never been called "Touchan".

He looked down into the blinking black eyes of his son as the boy yawned, his tiny face twisting to follow the new muscle movements. Aoshi watched his son fall asleep, completing trusting in the man without knowing him. It was also something strange to Aoshi.

People didn't trust him easily; even people he had known for years still were slightly cautious around him. And he didn't blame them. After all he had betrayed them, nearly killed Okita and had turned a blind eye when Shishio had sent his trained soldiers to the Aoiya to kill everyone there. They had every right to be nervous around him.

But this baby, his son, wasn't.

This baby trusted him completely, without having to see proof of Aoshi's loyalty. What if the darkest part of his soul took him over again, turning him back into the demon he had been before his fight with Himura? Did he even deserve to be trusted by his own son?

"Aoshi what's wrong?" Misao's worried voice broke through his thoughts and he looked towards her. "Nothing Misao," he replied evenly but Misao still frowned, "You look sad."

Aoshi knew he had lost. Misao knew him better then anyone and she could see through his masks, even his best ones. "I was just wondering how Han'nya can trust me so easily."

His soft voice echoed through the room and Misao watched him carefully, her chin nestled in her hand. Finally she spoke, "Han'nya-kun trusted you, why shouldn't his namesake trust you also?"

Aoshi blinked and looked back at his son. Han'nya had trusted him. He had trusted him enough to die for him. It would be wrong for his namesake to trust Aoshi any less.

Misao leaned closer to Aoshi, gently touching her son's face, "He'll never understand why we gave him a girl's name of course."

"I think he will once he hears the story." As Aoshi spoke he made a promise to himself and his old friend.

He would tell Han'nya the story as soon as the boy was old enough to understand. The story of a man, who stayed at Aoshi's side when others abandoned him, who obeyed Aoshi's orders even when it meant nearly dying, who loved Misao as a daughter and Aoshi as a brother, and who ultimately gave his life to save Aoshi's own.

"I'd better put him to bed." Misao said softly as Aoshi handed Han'nya back to his mother.

Suddenly removed for the safety of his father's arms, Han'nya woke up and started to cry, a surprising loud sound from such a small body.

Aoshi settled back slightly as he watched Misao begun to sway slowly, singing a soft lullaby, feeling his anxieties melt away.

His son would always trust him, and Aoshi would never, never do anything to betray that trust.

Han'nya was his witness to that fact.

_Fin. _

_Touchan: a term that is equally to "Daddy"_

_Sama: An honorific title equal to "lord" _

_Okashira: The leader of the Oniwaban_

_Kun: A term of endearment. _


	3. Chapter 3: Finding the Right Path

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing except for Kisho and Souzou Jr. Everything else belongs to the great Watsuki-sensei!

**Author's Note: **The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I have just been…distracted… (Hides FMA and X-Men DVDs and merchandise). However I think I might be back slightly more frequently now. Thanks for being patient! This segment focuses on my personal favorite couple of _Rurouni Kenshin_: Sano and Megumi. Read and Review if you like, Flames will be ignored.

**Finding the Right Path**

Rain pounded against the roof of the clinic, the sound echoing in the empty rooms and halls below. In the back of the clinic, in a few rooms that were separated from the clinic itself, a single lantern burned in its paper holder, casting weird shadows on the walls.

Sagara Megumi smiled and brushed her fingers over the face of the small infant she was holding before she looked over toward her husband Sanosuke who was holding the baby's twin. "They're both so beautiful looking." She whispered tiredly.

Sano grinned, staring down into the face of his first child, "I can't believe we had twins….but Souzou was born first so does that make him the oldest or is he still the same age as Kisho?" He inquired, his tone teasing.

Rocking her arms gently Megumi glanced towards him, raising one eyebrow slightly, "Planning for future arguments already?"

Sano shrugged slightly and Megumi sighed, pretending to be annoyed, "That's just like you Sano….always being prepared. As for the answer I guess Souzou is slightly older then his brother." Her eyes closed briefly and then opened again.

"Pretty incredible hmm….?" She whispered.

"Yeah." Sano's voice was low. It was incredible, these kids, his wife, everything that had been happening to him over the years since he'd lost his fight to Kenshin. He didn't use to have a direction or a purpose in life. He lived to brawl, drink, gamble…generally raise hell. But not any more, not now and not ever again. He had something else to live for now, something better and something that lasted longer.

His thoughts getting too muddled and confusing to keep to himself he opened his mouth to share them with Megumi and glanced towards her. His mouth closed abruptly though when he realized she was asleep. He didn't want to wake her up, she needed that sleep more then anyone could really guess after what she had just been through for so many hours with just Kaoru and Doctor Genzia in the room with her.

He'd been locked outside in the waiting room and if it hadn't been for Kenshin and Yahiko staying in there with him and practically holding him down he'd have gone right through that door and risked Karou's wrath just to be in there with Megumi when she needed him. Now it was over though and they had two beautiful sons.

Sano glanced towards his two children, both mimicking their mother by having fallen asleep. His expression darkened slightly, hovering between ecstatic and worried. Could he do it, be a dad to these kids? And a husband to Megumi, the kind of husband she deserved?

He'd been having his private doubts about his abilities since Megumi had told him their little family would be growing. He hadn't really had a great relationship with his father so he wasn't sure how fathers where supposed to act. Without a model to go by how could he be really sure he was doing it right?

The more his thoughts churned the more concerned his expression grew. Suddenly, like a sudden burst of light, a memory came to mind. Something Captain Sagara had always said.

Sano recalled the phrase, shaking off the mental dust it had collected. Captain Sagara had always believed that the best way to do something was to try. You couldn't follow a set model or do what had worked for everyone else. You needed to do it your way, with your own touches added to it.

Sano's expression cleared instantly, "That's what I'll have to do Captain….figure it out for myself." And suddenly he felt more confident about the duty and honor that was facing him, the duty of taking care of this family. He'd be just fine.


End file.
